Brakes on varsity hostel overstay

Patna University has done what no other such institutes could even think of — doing away with horizontal admission.

In simpler terms, a student cannot enrol himself/herself to pursue the same course in different subjects over the years.

The university’s notification, being implemented in the current academic session of 2014-15, aims at getting rid of old students staying on the campus for years.

The directive, sent to all colleges and postgraduate departments, states if a student completes one master’s, s/he cannot be admitted to another such course. Only one stream (subject/faculty) is allowed, multi-streams are not allowed, it adds.

Patna University vice-chancellor Y.C. Simahadri said: “The idea behind the new directive is to bring administrative reforms as we want student to pursue studies and after completing their studies move out from university.”

Simahadri added that it had been found that many students even after doing more than 12 years of their education in the varsity still stay on the campus doing some or the other course affecting the academic environment of the university. “The directive has been taken in the interest of students, parents and above all society,” he reasoned.

Following the new directive, the vice-chancellor’s office is likely to invite wrath of the students and teachers alike. According to university sources, the new directive is a violation of the Patna University Act, 1976, and neither the academic council nor the senate has approved it.

Under the vertical process, if any student passes BA (hons), BCom (hons) or BSc (hons) s/he will be permitted to pursue his or her higher degree only in the subject concerned. Under no circumstances, the student will be permitted to pursue another bachelor degree in the same faculty or any other faculty except professional courses like LLB/ BEd/BLib. For example, one who passed BA (hons) in history may take admission in MA history or any other permissible master course and thereafter PhD course in the subject/faculty concerned. The student, if interested to pursue master’s in Hindi or English after completing MA in history, would not be allowed.

A senior postgraduate department teacher on condition of anonymity said: “The new directive is clear violation of the Patna University Act and it has neither been approved by senate nor by the academic council.” The teacher added that the new directive is not only the violation of university act, but the university is also debarring a student from higher studies.

Not only teachers but also students are also planning to stage protest against the new directive.

Vijay Kumar Vineet, a postgraduate psychology student, said: “No premier institutions such as Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University have such provisions. My friends at Delhi University after doing MA in history are pursuing MA in political science to build their career but our university’s new directive is acting against students’ interest.”

Courtesy: The Telegraph